Tweet This!

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Gov. Gary Johnson on the IRS, Goverment Spying on Jornalists, and the Patriot Act.

FYI - From Our America Initiative/Gov. Gary Johnson.

#LiveFree

#ProgressiveLibertarian

-ADY
"A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Friends,

If not for the fact that there are very serious abuses of power involved, the congressional outrage we are seeing about the Obama Administration’s IRS targeting of certain groups for scrutiny and harassment would almost be comical. The same goes for the congressional indignation we are seeing over the Department of Justice’s secret spying on members of the news media.

Don’t get me wrong. Asking non-profit organizations what they pray for and secretly obtaining and reading journalists’ personal emails are, by any reasonable measure, truly disturbing acts. But watching, day after day, as congressional committees drag bureaucrats into hearings and Senators and Representatives take to the airwaves to express their shock over such abuses, someone needs to ask the obvious question: Why is it even remotely surprising, much less shocking, that, when given power, the government will use it to the greatest extent possible?

That’s what government does.

Everyday, hard-working Americans are harassed by the IRS. That is not new. People in Congress can express outrage when that harassment ends up on the front page or happens to organizations they care about, but who is holding Congress itself accountable for a tax code they have concocted over the decades that is designed to punish some and reward others?? The legal weapons the IRS is leveling at specific groups were handed to the IRS by Congress.

And the “spying” on journalists? Well, Congress, YOU enacted and renewed the Patriot Act and other laws that say it’s OK for the government to read private citizens’ emails, secretly obtain phone records and track our movements. And now you are shocked that the Obama Administration would use that authority against Fox News?

How about admitting that the Patriot Act is a mistake, and repealing it? That would be a lot more helpful than pretending as though you can’t understand why government abuses the power you gave it.

And if you truly don’t want the IRS to single out certain groups for special “treatment” -- good or bad, then remove the thousands of loopholes, subsidies and other manipulative provisions in the tax code that make the IRS so powerful in the first place.

With the abuses of government power that are coming to light in recent days -- abuses that ordinary Americans deal with all the time, we must not let Congress off the hook. With the encouragement of Republican and Democrat administrations alike, the politicians on Capitol Hill created the opportunities for those abuses. We can complain about government exercising the force of agencies like the IRS and the FBI, but it is foolish to believe that, when given power, government won’t use it -- or abuse it. The real answer is to reduce the size and power of that government.

The Our America Initiative is committed to doing just that: Reducing government’s size, cost, and power over our daily lives. Your support is the key. Please go to Our America Initiative today and contribute what you can so that we can hold the politicians accountable for the abuses they have created.

Thanks, as always, for your friendship and support of liberty!

Governor Gary Johnson

Honorary Chairman, Our America Initiative

About Governor Gary Johnson: A two-term governor of New Mexico from 1995-2003, Gary Johnson has been a consistent advocate for limited, efficient government and personal liberty. As the Libertarian candidate for President in 2012, he received more votes than any Libertarian candidate in history. An outspoken pro-Constitution libertarian, Johnson opposes American involvement in foreign conflicts with no clear U.S. interest. He opposes the failed multi-billion dollar war on drugs and demands greater transparency at the Federal Reserve. Johnson advocates cutting federal spending dramatically to achieve a balanced budget and make government live within its means without raising taxes. He believes real job creation and economic opportunity can be best achieved through smaller government and less regulation. The National Review rated Johnson as "#1" in job creation as governor. An avid skier and bicyclist, he has reached the highest peaks on five of the seven continents, including Mount Everest and, recently, Aconcagua in Argentina.

​

OUR America Initiative seeks to broaden the parameters of the public policy debate in the national arena. We look to enlighten Americans about civil liberties, free enterprise, limited government, and the traditional American values of freedom and liberty. It is our aim to increase discussion and involvement regarding all-important issues of the day.

Get E-mail Updates!

Libertarian Party

Democratic Freedom Caucus

Where Do You Stand?

Ben Swann

About Me

I'm a former U.S. Marine and Iraq War veteran. Now, I work as a Deputy Sheriff. I have an Associate's in Criminal Justice, and I'm working on a Bachelor's in Theology/Psychology. I'm a fiscally conservative Democrat, turned pro-life, Big "L" libertarian. As of 2/16/16, I'm the former Bledsoe Co, TN District 3 Commissioner (and I've never been happier now that I'm out of the game). I'm a member and/or supporter of the Libertarian Party, Campaign For Liberty, PERC, the Acton Institute, Wild Cat Unionism, the VFW, the National Association for Gun Rights, the Cato Institute, The Carter Center, The Bush Center Human Freedom Initiative, Gary Johnson's Our America Initiative, I'm a strong supporter of the Constitution, especially the 1st and 2nd Amendments. I believe in a strong, but constitutionally defined, national defense and foreign policy. I consider myself socially progressive but, at the federal level, fiscally conservative. I believe that progressiveness works best at the state and local levels. It is time to throw parties aside, and start looking at individual candidates and their stances on the issues.